Book Review of Peter Abrahams' novel Oblivion
Pros
Murder, Missing Children, Unlikely Romance, Mayhem, Memory Loss - what more can you ask for?
Cons
A few plot threads left untended
The Bottom Line
This book is well worth a read. I would definitely keep an eye on this author as he only seems to be improving with each book.
Full Review
Detective Nick Petrov is an engaging character from the first page. We watch as he commits perjury to seal the deal on a suspect in court, treats the people around him like dirt and goes on his smart, abrasive way to solve the next crime. As the story progresses and Nick deals with his memory loss we see him change drastically from a vibrant, angry man to one that is clinging to hope and life by a thread.
His personality changes and the blank spaces in his memory from his brain tumor are written in an entirely believable manner. From cynic to dying old man to someone who sees life in a new way and finds love, each nuance is covered. In a way the murder mystery itself takes a back seat to the mystery of Nick's illness and how he chooses to handle it. His bargains with nature and God, the way he clings to completing a task as a way to achieve health, his struggling romance with the unlikely Billie - each step is enthralling agony.
Does he solve the murder mystery had set out to solve in the beginning? Absolutely, but not the way he (or the reader) expects. In fact, this story remains engaging from the first page while being nothing that I expected at all. I highly recommend the book. Sure, there are a few plot points that seem to get dropped, but you hardly notice so caught up are you in the character of Nick himself.
Less developed characters are Amanda, Rui, and Billie. It's a shame Billie wasn't given more attention in the novel. We know she is a nurse, and that she falls for Nick, but we are only given innuendo as to why he falls so hard for her in return and why they end up together.
Amanda and Rui, two troubled teens, would also have been a good way to show some of the reasons behind Nick's actions. We get a vague picture that they are two runaways who are helping each other out because they are linked by a crime Nick solved in the past. That whets our appetite for more, then the plot thread is abruptly dropped until nearly the end of the novel and the characters are left undeveloped.
Nick has a strong personality, and it carries this book far, but he needed a little help and balance from the other characters to make this book a stunner. Even so, it's well worth a read. I found my self interested enough in Nick and his struggle to overlook some of the books flaws.
Type of Book: Hardboiled Detective Mystery With a Twist
Character Development Rating: 10 for Nick Petrov, 7 for the other characters, but you hardly notice you're so caught up in Nick's mental struggle.
Plot Rating: B+
Recommendation: A good afternoon read or waiting room read that you will get surprisingly into.
Tags: Peter Abrahams Oblivion
